Maritime security: protecting maritime
transport from piracy

Piracy and armed robbery of maritime transport is
the subject of today's seminar organised by the European Commission to gather
ideas on the means of preventing and dissuading acts of piracy and how we can
protect ourselves and fight against this very real threat.

European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani stated "Acts of piracy
and armed robberies pose a serious threat to the lives of seafarers, the
security of the shipping industry and the safety and security of coastal
states. I call on all the stakeholders to engage actively in fighting this
phenomenon and seek lasting solutions to this scourge that is affecting the
whole international community."

Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs, added: "The EU is
committed to doing all it can to play its part in deterring and stamping out
acts of piracy. We need an integrated civilian/military approach where all
concerned work together. The European Commission contributes to this through
improving maritime surveillance and by helping to set up a firm international
legal framework for ensuring security at sea and to establish stable public
order on land."

This seminar brings together leading figures from the European maritime
sector, political representatives, high-level international officials, diplomats
and military officials involved in and committed to combatting this phenomenon
which increased considerably in 2008, notably along the Somali coast – a
strategic passage for international shipping.

On 10 November 2008, the Council decided to launch the Atalanta
military operation to deal with the increased acts of piracy along the
Somali coast that indiscriminately target shipping and pleasure boats,
humanitarian convoys from the World Food Programme (WFP) and fishing fleets. Led
by the EU NAVFOR force, for a period of 12 months this operation will safeguard
the WFP vessels bringing aid to Somalia's displaced populations, protect
vulnerable ships navigating the Somali coast and dissuade, prevent and crack
down on acts of piracy and armed robberies off this coast, by force if
necessary.

The Commission's seminar aims to facilitate an exchange of experience and
opinions on issues relating to acts of piracy and armed robbery in a
geopolitical and economic context. Furthermore, the implementation of the
international judicial framework enabling the international community as a whole
to prevent and curb such acts is also one of the main subjects addressed at this
meeting.

Community development aid instruments will be used, both geographically and
on a more comprehensive level through the 'Instrument for Stability' (IfS),
which provides for a programme on 'critical maritime routes' for 2009-2011
covering the Strait of Malacca and the Gulf of Aden in particular, to seek a
more long-term resolution of the phenomenon of maritime piracy and armed
robberies at sea.